WEBVTT 00:01.516 --> 00:04.876 Welcome to the Valley Baptist Church sermon podcast. 00:04.876 --> 00:08.316 We're so glad you're here, and we hope this message inspires you, 00:08.316 --> 00:12.476 builds your faith, and moves you toward a deep relationship with God. 00:12.476 --> 00:15.516 Today, you'll find great insight into the Bible 00:15.516 --> 00:18.236 and learn how you can apply it straight to your life. 00:18.236 --> 00:20.736 So welcome and enjoy the message. 00:21.125 --> 00:26.565 If you have your Bible, please open it with me to the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, 00:26.865 --> 00:28.325 towards the middle of your Bible. 00:28.805 --> 00:32.085 We're going to be looking at chapter 2 today in a message I'm calling, 00:32.245 --> 00:35.145 The Key to Enjoying Life. 00:35.907 --> 00:42.527 You know, the American dream is basically to get married, have some kids, own your own house, 00:42.527 --> 00:47.127 and then have enough financial stability so that you can enjoy some fun. 00:47.127 --> 00:54.927 Well, long before America was around, King Solomon was living the American dream. 00:55.533 --> 00:57.333 I mean, he had the dream life, didn't he? 00:57.373 --> 00:59.533 Money, women, power, leisure. 00:59.773 --> 01:01.232 He had it all. 01:01.233 --> 01:04.453 In the book of Ecclesiastes, it's Solomon saying, 01:04.453 --> 01:08.713 My dream life turned out to be a nightmare in the end. 01:09.472 --> 01:17.272 You see, those who eventually arrive at the dream life quickly realize it's not all that it was cracked up to be. 01:17.772 --> 01:22.772 I think of a guy like Robin Williams, who was one of the most admired men in the world. 01:22.772 --> 01:28.692 He had a successful career, making tons of money, making people laugh for a living. 01:28.852 --> 01:30.552 And yet, sadly... 01:30.548 --> 01:35.308 He realized his dream life wasn't worth living, and he took his own life in suicide. 01:36.168 --> 01:40.168 You see, the dream life is empty without God. 01:40.628 --> 01:46.668 When I was a little kid, my brother and cousin sat me down, and they asked me if I wanted to go on a snipe hunt. 01:47.643 --> 01:49.943 And they really built it up. 01:49.943 --> 01:51.523 I could not wait to go. 01:51.523 --> 01:55.523 And if you've never been cultured by going on a snipe hunt, 01:55.523 --> 01:57.063 here's what happens. 01:57.063 --> 01:59.703 Some older kids, typically cousins or friends, 01:59.703 --> 02:02.483 they'll take you out for a hunt for these snipes 02:02.483 --> 02:03.442 in the middle of the night. 02:03.443 --> 02:05.163 And they give you a bag 02:05.163 --> 02:08.203 and you're supposed to catch the snipes in that bag. 02:08.203 --> 02:09.543 And so they'll tell you, 02:09.543 --> 02:11.123 we're gonna leave for a little while 02:11.123 --> 02:13.203 and scare the snipes towards you. 02:13.203 --> 02:16.883 You're supposed to catch them in the bag when they come by. 02:16.887 --> 02:20.547 Well, they leave you all alone in the middle of the night, 02:20.547 --> 02:23.427 and they never come back. 02:23.427 --> 02:24.987 Why? 02:24.987 --> 02:27.867 Because it's just a mean joke, right? 02:27.867 --> 02:30.627 There is no such thing as a snipe. 02:30.627 --> 02:35.627 A snipe hunt is literally a pursuit of nothing. 02:36.344 --> 02:39.184 And that's what Solomon says throughout Ecclesiastes. 02:39.484 --> 02:43.504 Life without God is a pursuit of nothing. 02:44.124 --> 02:47.264 He says, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. 02:47.544 --> 02:51.844 Everything is meaningless and empty and it doesn't have any significance. 02:52.144 --> 02:54.804 It's nothing without God. 02:55.484 --> 03:00.824 Now, while Ecclesiastes is all about Solomon's pursuit of meaning and significance, 03:00.824 --> 03:03.984 in many ways it's also about his pursuit of happiness. 03:04.171 --> 03:07.871 Solomon's like all of us, he wanted to enjoy life. 03:07.871 --> 03:11.771 Well, how do we enjoy life in the midst of such a broken 03:11.771 --> 03:13.591 and pain filled world? 03:13.591 --> 03:14.791 Well, what's the key? 03:14.791 --> 03:17.791 Well, Solomon's gonna tell us at the end of the chapter. 03:17.791 --> 03:20.271 Now, so far in chapter one, 03:20.271 --> 03:24.371 it's all been pessimism from Solomon. 03:24.371 --> 03:27.031 He said, I went on this journey through life, 03:27.031 --> 03:29.471 looking for significance and fulfillment. 03:29.471 --> 03:31.531 I was trying to save you some trouble. 03:31.531 --> 03:33.971 I wanna write down my experiences. 03:34.681 --> 03:37.181 I was searching for it all, but it's not there. 03:37.801 --> 03:40.321 Life is a mean, cruel joke. 03:40.441 --> 03:42.701 It's the pursuit of nothing. 03:43.201 --> 03:46.781 And he continues describing his pursuit in chapter 2, verse 1. 03:46.841 --> 03:48.320 He said it in my heart. 03:48.321 --> 03:50.601 Come now, I will test you with mirth. 03:51.081 --> 03:52.681 Therefore, enjoy pleasure. 03:53.142 --> 03:54.942 But surely this also is vanity. 03:55.482 --> 03:57.922 I said of laughter, madness or silly. 03:58.262 --> 04:00.082 And of mirth, what does it accomplish? 04:00.622 --> 04:05.662 I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine while guiding my heart with wisdom 04:05.662 --> 04:10.762 and how to lay hold of folly till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do 04:10.762 --> 04:13.462 under heaven all the days of their life. 04:13.482 --> 04:16.902 Here's the first thing that we learn from Solomon in chapter 2. 04:17.202 --> 04:20.342 A life filled with pleasure is going to leave you empty. 04:21.374 --> 04:24.154 Solomon says, I told myself, I'm gonna talk to myself, 04:24.154 --> 04:26.674 enjoy pleasure. 04:26.674 --> 04:29.174 Like so many of us, Solomon tried making his life 04:29.174 --> 04:31.214 all about fun and games. 04:31.214 --> 04:32.574 He tried the party lifestyle. 04:32.574 --> 04:34.574 In fact, 1 Kings tells us that he threw 04:34.574 --> 04:37.274 these elaborate parties at his palace, 04:37.274 --> 04:39.014 inviting thousands to attend, 04:39.014 --> 04:41.494 to eat these gourmet meals he provided. 04:41.494 --> 04:45.834 The room was filled with laughter and fun and entertainment. 04:45.834 --> 04:48.654 And I'm sure that all that fun and laughter 04:48.654 --> 04:51.114 was good medicine for a while. 04:51.108 --> 04:56.528 It temporarily numbed any emotional pain he had, but it didn't last. 04:56.608 --> 04:57.047 Why? 04:57.048 --> 05:00.368 Because it wasn't capable of healing any wounds. 05:00.988 --> 05:03.148 So Solomon, he tries some alcohol. 05:03.448 --> 05:04.467 He tries wine. 05:04.468 --> 05:06.448 It, too, did not satisfy. 05:07.448 --> 05:12.868 You know, some of the wealthiest, most successful people on earth still try to numb their pain 05:12.868 --> 05:16.928 of what they see as vanity in their life with drugs and alcohol. 05:17.078 --> 05:26.198 Sadly, Tiger Woods is a recent example of someone who seems to have it all and who, for some reason, keeps getting himself in trouble with substance abuse. 05:26.838 --> 05:29.218 Solomon says in verse number 8, the second part, he says, 05:29.218 --> 05:35.818 I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men and musical instruments of all kind. 05:36.502 --> 05:44.642 Now, Solomon didn't have iTunes or Apple Music, but he did have nearly $3 trillion, mainly in gold. 05:45.322 --> 05:53.522 And so he just paid for the best singers around, men's singers, women's singers, to come and entertain him by song whenever he wanted. 05:53.522 --> 05:54.388 Right? 05:54.389 --> 06:04.029 Now, in verse number 8 that we read a moment ago, what the new King James translates as musical instruments, most translate as concubines. 06:04.549 --> 06:05.669 I know that's a big difference. 06:06.089 --> 06:09.169 There's a translation debate about that particular word. 06:09.169 --> 06:15.909 Whatever the word means, though, we do know that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. 06:16.377 --> 06:21.917 He left no stone unturned when it came to gratifying his flesh with pleasure. 06:22.337 --> 06:28.177 1 Kings tells us that Solomon collected the most beautiful women from every tribe and nation around, 06:28.757 --> 06:30.317 building homes for them to live in. 06:30.497 --> 06:33.597 And whenever he called for them, he expected them to come. 06:33.657 --> 06:35.296 They would come. 06:35.297 --> 06:38.417 Some of you who are disgusted by that 06:38.417 --> 06:44.377 might just be the same people who have a larger harem than Solomon on your browser history. 06:46.094 --> 06:52.314 doing exactly what Solomon tried to do to bring meaning into your life through these moments of pleasure. 06:52.634 --> 06:54.874 Solomon tried it all. He tried the party lifestyle. 06:55.134 --> 06:58.154 He tried to find fulfillment in a thousand sexual partners. 06:58.154 --> 07:03.254 But he says this, too, is vanity. It's empty without God. 07:03.654 --> 07:09.194 You see, why is that? Well, it's because the pleasure lifestyle leaves no room for suffering. 07:10.377 --> 07:14.397 And life's full of suffering because of the brokenness of our world because of sin. 07:14.537 --> 07:16.197 But it leaves no room for suffering. 07:16.357 --> 07:17.537 It didn't have any answers for that. 07:17.877 --> 07:22.737 Solomon knew it brings no answers when you stand at the grave of a loved one. 07:22.857 --> 07:25.277 It cannot deliver the answer. 07:25.597 --> 07:27.297 Solomon was a smart guy. 07:27.757 --> 07:28.596 He knew that. 07:28.597 --> 07:31.297 And so he turns to the next thing, work. 07:31.893 --> 07:35.593 Verse number four, he said, I made my works great. 07:35.593 --> 07:36.813 I built myself houses. 07:36.813 --> 07:40.013 I want you to notice how many times he says I and myself. 07:40.013 --> 07:42.053 And planted myself vineyards. 07:42.053 --> 07:44.533 I made myself gardens and orchards. 07:44.533 --> 07:47.113 I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. 07:47.113 --> 07:49.413 I made myself water pools from which to water 07:49.413 --> 07:51.113 the growing trees of the grove. 07:51.113 --> 07:53.673 I acquired male and female servants 07:53.673 --> 07:55.233 and had servants born in my house. 07:55.233 --> 07:57.773 Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks 07:57.773 --> 08:00.373 than all who were in Jerusalem. 08:00.378 --> 08:07.418 before me. Solomon also learned here that a life filled with work will also leave a person empty 08:07.418 --> 08:14.578 inside. Now, a great work ethic is an incredible quality to have, but eventually you're going to 08:14.578 --> 08:20.718 find out that all of your work and all of your accomplishments in life will not bring you lasting 08:20.718 --> 08:22.331 happiness. 08:22.332 --> 08:31.792 Now, some of us were fortunate enough to start learning the lesson through the successes and failures we experience as young people in sports. 08:31.912 --> 08:34.572 That's one of the reasons I love sports. 08:34.732 --> 08:38.652 It teaches us about how accomplishment doesn't really satisfy. 08:38.652 --> 08:43.772 But unfortunately, not everyone lets those lessons sink in, even as they become adults. 08:44.352 --> 08:51.472 Solomon indulged in the best of architecture, the best of agriculture, the best of engineering, and it all left him empty. 08:52.471 --> 08:57.231 We know that King Solomon was one of the greatest builders of the ancient world. 08:57.311 --> 08:59.431 He built the temple, God's house. 08:59.711 --> 09:01.391 It was a massive construction. 09:01.831 --> 09:03.450 It was elaborate. 09:03.451 --> 09:06.771 Then he built his house, which was actually bigger than God's house. 09:07.557 --> 09:09.717 Solomon was a farmer, he was a rancher, 09:09.717 --> 09:11.497 he planted vineyards and gardens, 09:11.497 --> 09:13.597 orchards with wonderful fruit trees, 09:13.597 --> 09:15.997 he had massive herds of cattle and sheep. 09:15.997 --> 09:18.497 He was one of the greatest business minds 09:18.497 --> 09:20.937 the world has ever seen. 09:20.937 --> 09:23.137 After he got one business up and going, 09:23.137 --> 09:25.137 he went to the next business. 09:25.137 --> 09:28.037 After he finished one project, he went to the next project, 09:28.037 --> 09:31.877 looking for some sense of joy in all of his accomplishments. 09:31.877 --> 09:36.657 But after each business, after each project was successful, 09:36.650 --> 09:39.030 He was still left empty inside. 09:40.193 --> 09:47.673 Our culture and probably even our church is filled with people who find their significance and meaning in life in their work. 09:48.313 --> 09:55.113 They live for success and they're going to do anything to get to the top of their field. 09:55.593 --> 10:02.693 And many will trade their family for their career, never making it to a son's baseball game, never making it to their daughter's recital. 10:02.693 --> 10:06.533 They're rarely at home. And even if they are home, they're constantly on the phone. 10:06.633 --> 10:09.713 They're answering emails all related to work. 10:10.973 --> 10:16.273 Author Jack Higgins said, one thing I know now that I wish I would have known as a boy 10:16.273 --> 10:19.773 is that when you get to the top, there's nothing there. 10:21.082 --> 10:25.062 We think, well, if I could just get that promotion, if I could just meet that quota, 10:25.262 --> 10:30.142 if I could just win that championship, if my kid could just win that championship and get a scholarship, 10:30.142 --> 10:36.342 then I would be made. Solomon said, that's nonsense. That's simply not true. 10:37.462 --> 10:41.522 In 1996, a journalist by the name of John Krakauer 10:41.517 --> 10:46.897 went with a team to climb Mount Everest. They planned it for over a year. 10:46.977 --> 10:50.437 They spent months training for this climb. Well, sadly, 10:51.057 --> 10:56.517 the dream trip turned into a nightmare when on their way down off the mountain 10:56.557 --> 11:01.397 they were caught in a horrible blizzard and eight people on their team were killed. 11:02.397 --> 11:05.877 Krakauer described those moments when he was on the top. 11:06.610 --> 11:12.090 of Everest. He says, straddling the top of the world, one foot in China and the other in Nepal, 11:12.730 --> 11:19.390 I cleared the ice from my oxygen mask and stared absently down the vastness of Tibet. I'd been 11:19.390 --> 11:24.630 fantasizing about this moment and the release of emotion that would accompany it for many months, 11:24.630 --> 11:29.730 but now I was finally here, actually standing on the summit of Everest. 11:30.250 --> 11:32.750 I just couldn't summon the energy to care. 11:33.442 --> 11:36.262 I snapped four quick photos, then turned and headed down. 11:36.342 --> 11:38.262 My watch read 1.17 p.m. 11:38.482 --> 11:42.742 All told, I had spent less than five minutes on the roof of the world. 11:43.752 --> 11:50.232 You see, when you reach the roof of your world, the roof of your career or some sport or some hobby, 11:50.292 --> 11:52.472 you're going to discover there's nothing actually there. 11:52.772 --> 11:54.712 It, too, is vanity. 11:55.432 --> 11:59.412 So Solomon moves on to the next thing in verse number 8. 11:59.412 --> 12:00.251 He said, 12:00.252 --> 12:06.552 "...I also gather for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings in the provinces." 12:06.550 --> 12:11.610 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. 12:11.950 --> 12:13.910 Also my wisdom remained with me. 12:14.290 --> 12:16.810 Whatever my eyes desired, I did not keep from them. 12:17.270 --> 12:19.450 I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure. 12:19.450 --> 12:22.250 For my heart rejoiced in all my labor. 12:22.835 --> 12:24.855 This was my reward for all my labor. 12:25.195 --> 12:27.575 Then I took on all the works that my hands had done, 12:27.855 --> 12:29.715 and on the labor in which I had toiled, 12:29.835 --> 12:33.375 and indeed it was all vanity and grasping for the win. 12:33.375 --> 12:36.655 There was no profit under the sun. 12:37.313 --> 12:42.693 Now, Solomon's annual income was measured not of gold. 12:43.033 --> 12:44.113 His income simply of gold. 12:44.193 --> 12:45.593 It wasn't measured in pounds. 12:45.673 --> 12:46.793 It was measured in tons. 12:47.573 --> 12:48.813 That's how rich this guy was. 12:49.033 --> 12:53.973 He had a stockpile of gold more than anyone has ever accumulated in the history of the world. 12:54.053 --> 12:58.713 And he said, it did not bring me an ounce of satisfaction. 12:59.073 --> 13:05.033 You see, a life filled with awesome stuff also leaves a person empty. 13:05.832 --> 13:08.772 We start learning that lesson as kids, 13:08.772 --> 13:10.872 but it seems like we keep having to repeat the lesson 13:10.872 --> 13:11.811 over and over, right? 13:11.812 --> 13:15.412 I remember as a kid asking my parents for a video game 13:15.412 --> 13:17.572 for my birthday, telling my parents, you know, 13:17.572 --> 13:19.012 if I could just have this game, 13:19.012 --> 13:21.892 I will never ask for anything else in the world, right? 13:23.252 --> 13:24.952 Well, I got the game. 13:24.952 --> 13:28.232 And the excitement lasted for four or five days. 13:28.232 --> 13:32.692 I played every bit of it I possibly could, and I was bored. 13:32.933 --> 13:36.773 And I just wanted the newest game that had just coming out. 13:36.773 --> 13:38.433 You know, if I could get that game, 13:38.433 --> 13:42.253 then I will never ask for anything in the world. 13:42.253 --> 13:46.973 Now, I wished I could say that we all wise up 13:46.973 --> 13:49.273 when we become adults, but we don't. 13:49.273 --> 13:51.993 We think that if I could just get a bigger house, 13:51.993 --> 13:52.832 I'd be good. 13:52.833 --> 13:54.053 If I could just get in a better neighborhood, 13:54.053 --> 13:55.973 you know, if I could just get that beach house 13:55.973 --> 13:58.373 to get out of this Bakersfield heat from time to time, 13:58.373 --> 13:59.332 then I would be good. 13:59.333 --> 14:01.173 Or, you know, the mountain house. 14:01.182 --> 14:02.702 That would be really great. 14:03.082 --> 14:04.462 Listen, it's never enough. 14:04.922 --> 14:09.642 You are always going to be wanting more because contentment is not found in stuff. 14:09.902 --> 14:12.342 It's found in God and God alone. 14:13.142 --> 14:19.322 Tom Brady, considered by most to be the greatest NFL quarterback in history. 14:19.722 --> 14:21.342 We've got a Tom Brady fan over here. 14:23.390 --> 14:26.770 He was asked by a reporter after one of his Super Bowl wins, 14:27.330 --> 14:33.450 of all the Super Bowl rings that you've won, which is the best Super Bowl ring? 14:34.490 --> 14:36.470 And Tom said, the next one. 14:38.476 --> 14:39.475 Why? 14:39.476 --> 14:42.196 Because no matter what you build or accomplish in life, 14:42.256 --> 14:45.636 no matter how much money you have or how much stuff that you acquire, 14:45.736 --> 14:49.056 cool stuff, amazing stuff, it's never enough. 14:49.176 --> 14:50.255 And Solomon knew that. 14:50.256 --> 14:53.096 He got an all the world had to offer, and he's telling us, 14:53.256 --> 14:54.716 he's saying it's not there. 14:54.896 --> 14:55.333 It's not there. 14:55.334 --> 14:58.714 Purpose is not in material possessions. 14:59.134 --> 15:00.634 So he says in verse number 12, 15:01.374 --> 15:05.834 Then I turned myself to consider wisdom and madness and folly. 15:05.894 --> 15:08.194 For what can the man do who succeeds the king? 15:08.274 --> 15:09.394 Only what he has already done. 15:09.714 --> 15:13.954 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. 15:14.514 --> 15:19.454 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. 15:20.225 --> 15:24.105 Yet I myself perceived that the same event happens to them all. 15:24.565 --> 15:27.985 So I said in my heart, as it happens to the fool, it also happens to me. 15:28.205 --> 15:31.005 And why was I then not more wise? 15:31.345 --> 15:34.185 Then I said in my heart, this also is vanity. 15:34.345 --> 15:37.625 For there is no remembrance of the wise than the fool forever, 15:38.125 --> 15:40.925 since all that now is will be forgotten in the days to come. 15:41.145 --> 15:42.745 And how does a wise man die? 15:43.265 --> 15:44.709 As the fool. 15:44.710 --> 15:49.690 Therefore I hated life, because the work that was done under the sun was distressing for me, 15:49.930 --> 15:53.270 for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. 15:53.270 --> 15:58.810 We see that Solomon also learned that a life with wisdom is empty. 15:59.830 --> 16:02.750 Now, we would think, oh, that would be a fulfilling life. 16:03.110 --> 16:04.149 But it's not. 16:04.150 --> 16:11.470 Now, Solomon does admit, he says, there's some real advantages to living with wisdom and morality in your life. 16:11.530 --> 16:13.890 Because the wise person walks in the light. 16:14.210 --> 16:15.690 They can look down the road of life. 16:15.970 --> 16:18.690 They can see that there are certain pitfalls and there are certain ditches. 16:18.750 --> 16:20.630 They can avoid those. 16:20.730 --> 16:21.669 That's an advantage. 16:21.670 --> 16:23.810 The fool, he walks in darkness. 16:23.950 --> 16:25.210 His eyes are closed. 16:25.210 --> 16:29.530 So he falls into the ditches of life without even noticing that they're there. 16:29.530 --> 16:35.870 So Solomon says, wisdom is a whole lot better, but it's also vanity. 16:36.830 --> 16:37.950 It's also nothing. 16:38.210 --> 16:38.909 Why? 16:38.910 --> 16:42.370 Because the same thing happens to the wise as to the fool. 16:42.630 --> 16:44.210 Now, he's talking about death, clearly. 16:44.830 --> 16:47.090 You see, death is coming for us all. 16:47.840 --> 16:52.200 Death is the great equalizer that zeroes out all scoreboards. 16:52.200 --> 16:53.380 We're all gonna die. 16:53.380 --> 16:55.600 We're all gonna experience where a heart beats 16:55.600 --> 16:56.700 for the very last time. 16:56.700 --> 17:00.420 We take their last breath of air if the Lord tarries. 17:00.420 --> 17:01.359 We're all gonna die. 17:01.360 --> 17:03.400 The fool dies, the wise and the moral, 17:03.400 --> 17:07.100 the religious version, we all die. 17:07.100 --> 17:09.000 Derek Kidner in his commentary said, 17:09.000 --> 17:11.920 "'If every card you play is trumped, 17:11.920 --> 17:13.500 "'then what difference does it make 17:13.500 --> 17:15.140 "'which card you play?' 17:15.802 --> 17:17.322 It's all going to end in death. 17:17.682 --> 17:19.682 What difference does it make is what Solomon is saying. 17:20.362 --> 17:24.382 You see, a life without God is sort of like the game of Monopoly. 17:24.882 --> 17:27.502 I loved the game of Monopoly growing up. 17:27.502 --> 17:30.222 You might have some fun in that game. 17:30.302 --> 17:31.281 You're going around the board. 17:31.282 --> 17:33.442 You're stockpiling all of this property. 17:33.922 --> 17:36.462 You're stockpiling all this cash. 17:37.282 --> 17:40.722 But at the end of the game, it's all going back in the box, isn't it? 17:41.882 --> 17:43.802 At the end of life... 17:44.219 --> 17:47.819 We're all gonna end up in a box. 17:47.819 --> 17:49.279 We're all gonna die. 17:49.279 --> 17:51.699 And it's important that we come to grips with that. 17:51.699 --> 17:53.979 So Solomon says, why even try? 17:53.979 --> 17:55.719 The fool dies, the wife is denied. 17:55.719 --> 17:58.759 It doesn't matter how we live. 17:58.759 --> 18:00.823 Verse number 18. 18:00.824 --> 18:30.684 He said, 18:31.115 --> 18:33.095 This also is vanity and a great evil. 18:33.695 --> 18:39.315 For what has a man for all his labor and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? 18:39.735 --> 18:43.215 For all his days are sorrowful and his work burdensome. 18:43.695 --> 18:45.995 Even in the night his heart takes no rest. 18:46.135 --> 18:47.795 This also is vanity. 18:49.095 --> 18:52.795 Solomon is depressed at this point. 18:53.255 --> 18:54.515 But he's got one more idea. 18:55.837 --> 19:03.077 You know, I'm going to enjoy the fact that I'm going to leave all of my labor, the fruit of all of my labor, all of my wealth, 19:03.197 --> 19:04.517 I'm going to leave it to my kids. 19:04.777 --> 19:05.997 They can have better lives. 19:06.057 --> 19:08.216 But there was a problem. 19:08.217 --> 19:11.357 Solomon realizes his kids might squander it. 19:12.037 --> 19:13.297 He didn't trust his kids. 19:13.637 --> 19:15.377 And he had good reason not to trust them. 19:15.377 --> 19:17.657 Under King Solomon's rule. 19:18.550 --> 19:20.930 There was about four decades of peace. 19:20.930 --> 19:23.010 And in less than a year after his death, 19:23.010 --> 19:25.790 there was a civil war between the North and the South 19:25.790 --> 19:27.930 and the nation of Israel was divided. 19:27.930 --> 19:31.670 The Egyptians came in and Solomon's son, Rehoboam, 19:31.670 --> 19:34.250 he appeased them with what? 19:34.250 --> 19:36.930 Gold, lots and lots of gold. 19:36.930 --> 19:38.750 He stripped the temple of its gold. 19:38.750 --> 19:41.010 He gave all of it to the Egyptians. 19:41.010 --> 19:43.890 All that Solomon had worked his entire life for 19:43.890 --> 19:46.570 was gone in less than a year. 19:47.744 --> 19:50.464 Now you may say, well, pastor, that's pretty extreme example. 19:50.604 --> 19:56.744 Well, do you know how long it takes the average person today to spend the inheritance they receive from their parents? 19:58.124 --> 20:03.884 All that their parents accumulated over a lifetime, how long does it take them to spend? 20:05.104 --> 20:06.264 Less than a year. 20:07.664 --> 20:09.564 Solomon was the wisest man in the world. 20:09.644 --> 20:11.244 He knew how it generally works. 20:11.244 --> 20:13.484 Most of the time people blow it. 20:14.069 --> 20:16.009 So he says, it's all been pointless. 20:16.009 --> 20:18.769 My whole life is a big nothing. 20:18.769 --> 20:20.969 It's not gonna last. 20:20.969 --> 20:22.809 And you know what, he's right. 20:22.809 --> 20:24.729 On a purely horizontal level, 20:24.729 --> 20:26.189 with no thought of the vertical, 20:26.189 --> 20:27.309 with no thought of God, 20:27.309 --> 20:29.729 life doesn't actually matter, does it? 20:30.649 --> 20:34.909 But in verse 24, Solomon switches gears for just a moment. 20:34.909 --> 20:36.869 For a few short verses, 20:36.869 --> 20:40.029 Solomon gives us a brief glimpse of the conclusion 20:40.029 --> 20:42.209 he's gonna make at the end of the book. 20:42.638 --> 20:46.238 He's, so far he's had his under the sunglasses on 20:46.238 --> 20:47.738 that filter God out of life. 20:47.738 --> 20:50.378 They don't consider God in life at all. 20:50.378 --> 20:51.578 But for a few verses here, 20:51.578 --> 20:54.038 he puts on his above the sunglasses, 20:54.038 --> 20:56.638 the one that sees the perspective from God's perspective, 20:56.638 --> 20:58.878 and he brings God back into his life. 20:58.878 --> 21:01.038 And he's gonna tell us here in just a second 21:01.038 --> 21:05.018 that a life filled with God fills a person with joy. 21:06.550 --> 21:10.130 Fulfillment comes from God. 21:10.130 --> 21:12.670 You see the hole that was inside of Solomon 21:12.670 --> 21:13.509 that he was trying to fill, 21:13.510 --> 21:16.210 the hole that's inside each and every one of us, 21:16.210 --> 21:17.650 it's shaped like God. 21:17.650 --> 21:19.090 Only he can fill it. 21:19.090 --> 21:21.970 So Solomon, he tried to fill it with all kinds of stuff. 21:21.970 --> 21:23.670 Same kind of stuff we try to fill it with. 21:23.670 --> 21:25.530 He tried to fill it with pleasure. 21:25.530 --> 21:28.050 He tried to fill it with work and accomplishment, 21:28.050 --> 21:28.889 achievement. 21:28.890 --> 21:30.930 He tried to fill it with wealth and wisdom 21:30.930 --> 21:32.430 and it all left him empty. 21:32.430 --> 21:34.050 The hole remained. 21:35.137 --> 21:41.297 For two chapters now, Solomon has painted a hopeless view of life. 21:41.497 --> 21:43.877 He's building up tension, anticipation. 21:44.197 --> 21:46.737 At this point, we're meant to all be depressed. 21:46.917 --> 21:47.977 Life stinks. 21:49.345 --> 21:51.145 But then he changes gears in verse 24. 21:51.325 --> 21:52.044 He says, 21:52.045 --> 21:56.305 Nothing is better for a man than he should eat and drink, 21:56.905 --> 22:00.105 and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. 22:00.405 --> 22:03.885 This also I saw was from the hand of God. 22:04.205 --> 22:05.925 See, that's the key to Ecclesiastes, 22:06.065 --> 22:08.205 that everything we have is from the hand of God. 22:08.205 --> 22:11.585 For who can eat or who can have enjoyment more than I? 22:11.685 --> 22:13.325 Most translate that without him. 22:13.966 --> 22:18.766 For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in his sight. 22:18.926 --> 22:21.806 But of the sinner, he gives the work of gathering, collecting 22:22.066 --> 22:24.526 that he may give to him who is good before God. 22:24.526 --> 22:28.106 This also is vanity and grasping for the wind. 22:29.306 --> 22:31.866 Solomon is saying the key 22:32.366 --> 22:35.366 to enjoying life is to enjoy God 22:36.146 --> 22:39.526 and to enjoy all the gifts that he gives. 22:40.493 --> 22:44.533 Now, if you enjoy the gifts that God gives 22:44.533 --> 22:46.373 without enjoying him, 22:46.373 --> 22:50.233 without recognizing that all of those gifts come from him, 22:50.233 --> 22:54.033 Solomon has been saying that is gonna leave you empty. 22:54.033 --> 22:57.153 That always leads to vanity and emptiness. 22:57.149 --> 23:15.569 But when you invite God into your life, all the gifts that he gives, not just the big gifts of great wealth and accomplishment, but the simple pleasures of life like food and water and work, all of those things, they take on new meaning and significance. 23:17.365 --> 23:23.645 Let's say someone baked you some cookies and they put all the ingredients into those cookies that are needed. 23:23.725 --> 23:24.604 They look amazing. 23:24.605 --> 23:28.185 Put everything into those cookies except for sugar. 23:29.765 --> 23:32.645 Those cookies would be vanity, wouldn't they? 23:32.685 --> 23:34.725 I don't care how good those cookies look. 23:34.805 --> 23:35.784 They're going in the trash. 23:35.785 --> 23:36.544 Why? 23:36.545 --> 23:38.485 Because sugar is the key ingredient. 23:38.485 --> 23:42.445 It brings all the other ingredients to life. 23:43.319 --> 23:45.359 That's God in our lives. 23:45.359 --> 23:48.939 A life without God is like cookies with no sugar. 23:48.939 --> 23:50.379 So you wanna enjoy life? 23:50.379 --> 23:52.579 You wanna know the key to enjoying life? 23:52.579 --> 23:55.439 Allow some sugar into the depths of your soul 23:55.439 --> 23:58.439 to touch you in a place that brings everything to life. 23:58.439 --> 24:00.859 Invite God into every aspect of life. 24:00.859 --> 24:02.759 If you're eating a great meal, 24:02.759 --> 24:05.259 let it be a worship experience, right? 24:05.259 --> 24:08.439 I mean, I'm not saying you worship the steak on your plate. 24:08.439 --> 24:11.319 I'm saying you praise the God who gave the steak. 24:11.315 --> 24:15.755 Invite God into every pleasure of life. 24:16.255 --> 24:18.415 Whether you're eating or drinking, 24:18.935 --> 24:20.295 making love to your spouse, 24:20.435 --> 24:22.875 enjoying a vacation that you worked really hard for, 24:23.175 --> 24:24.535 invite God into it. 24:24.855 --> 24:26.955 Recognize it is a gift from Him 24:26.955 --> 24:30.335 and the significance and the meaning of those experiences 24:30.335 --> 24:32.315 will be multiplied a thousandfold. 24:33.935 --> 24:35.195 God is the key. 24:36.495 --> 24:39.355 Because when God is in it, 24:40.120 --> 24:42.560 Those experiences are not fleeting. 24:43.664 --> 24:47.684 They're not ends of themselves because God's the end. 24:48.324 --> 24:49.684 And there is no end with God. 24:49.784 --> 24:51.184 You see, God is infinite. 24:51.544 --> 24:53.044 It means He has no bounds. 24:53.044 --> 24:57.204 He brings eternal purpose into our lives when He is with us. 24:58.004 --> 24:59.524 Psalm 16, verse number 11 says, 24:59.864 --> 25:01.204 You will show me the path of life. 25:01.284 --> 25:04.184 See, that's what we're all, what's the path of life, God? 25:04.424 --> 25:05.604 He's going to show us. 25:06.004 --> 25:09.144 In your presence is fullness of joy. 25:09.624 --> 25:13.064 At your right hand are pleasures evermore. 25:14.984 --> 25:18.544 Now, I want to say one word of caution. 25:18.664 --> 25:19.804 It's not really a word of caution. 25:19.944 --> 25:23.024 It's just I don't want us to misunderstand the chapter here. 25:24.144 --> 25:29.044 There's nothing wrong with being successful and accomplishing great things. 25:29.244 --> 25:32.484 There's nothing wrong with having some amazing stuff. 25:32.544 --> 25:33.984 I've got a lot of awesome stuff. 25:33.984 --> 25:36.184 There's nothing wrong with pleasure. 25:36.344 --> 25:38.864 Solomon's actually saying enjoy all of that. 25:39.740 --> 25:41.640 Enjoy it as a gift from God. 25:41.760 --> 25:42.839 It comes from him. 25:42.840 --> 25:43.679 They're gifts. 25:43.680 --> 25:45.340 Enjoy them as gifts from him. 25:46.620 --> 25:49.580 But here's when those things become a problem. 25:51.580 --> 25:59.480 When a good thing becomes a God thing, it becomes an empty thing. 26:03.348 --> 26:09.728 When our accomplishments begin defining us instead of Jesus defining us, it's going to leave us empty every time. 26:10.868 --> 26:18.028 When instead of having money, money has us, it's going to leave us empty every time. 26:18.988 --> 26:22.328 So Solomon is saying, he said, recognize all of those little goodies. 26:22.508 --> 26:23.367 That's like icing on the cake. 26:23.368 --> 26:26.568 All of those things, they come from the hand of God. 26:27.445 --> 26:33.825 And when you recognize that, then and only then can you properly enjoy them and enjoy life. 26:34.805 --> 26:39.965 You know, Solomon's words here remind me of 1 Corinthians 10, verse number 31. 26:39.965 --> 26:48.865 It says, therefore, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 26:50.925 --> 26:56.045 Kelsey's parents have that verse in their guest bathroom hanging on the wall over the toilet. 26:57.095 --> 27:01.875 And when I first stood at the toilet and I saw it, it took me a moment for it to sink in. 27:02.195 --> 27:04.375 And when it did, I busted out laughing. 27:04.675 --> 27:08.955 Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God. 27:09.055 --> 27:12.755 And so I started laughing and then I thought, well, wait a minute. 27:13.413 --> 27:19.373 Joed and Annie are more spiritual than I am. Never before have I invited God into my bathroom 27:19.373 --> 27:25.853 experience. That was new for me. I'm sure it's probably new for you. I know that's a little 27:25.853 --> 27:32.413 funny, maybe even borderline crude for me to say from the pulpit, but I hope it's a funny way to 27:32.413 --> 27:36.773 make the point. Why don't you just invite God into every aspect of life? 27:37.595 --> 27:40.655 Whether you eat or you drink, you labor, whatever you do, 27:40.655 --> 27:41.995 do it for his glory. 27:41.995 --> 27:45.495 Invite him into it and he will give it purpose. 27:45.495 --> 27:46.955 Every aspect of our life. 27:46.955 --> 27:48.875 We are not made for money. 27:48.875 --> 27:50.515 We're not made for a good time. 27:50.515 --> 27:52.775 We're not made for food or sex or work 27:52.775 --> 27:55.295 or anything in this universe. 27:55.295 --> 27:58.675 We are made for a God who is outside of the universe. 27:58.675 --> 28:01.295 One who's outside of time, space and matter 28:01.295 --> 28:02.555 or any other creative thing. 28:02.555 --> 28:04.115 We were made for him. 28:04.115 --> 28:06.835 He's the only one who can fill the void 28:06.822 --> 28:08.982 that sin has left behind in our heart. 28:09.562 --> 28:12.442 He's the key to enjoying life. 28:13.782 --> 28:16.002 Now, let's suppose someone gives you a car, 28:16.122 --> 28:17.562 but what if you said to yourself, 28:17.682 --> 28:19.742 they give you this wonderful, nice car, 28:19.822 --> 28:21.922 but you said to yourself, for some reason, 28:22.862 --> 28:25.142 you had this thing against car keys, 28:25.142 --> 28:29.262 and so you said, I'm going to enjoy this car without the key. 28:30.302 --> 28:31.492 Well... 28:31.493 --> 28:34.413 You might be able to enjoy it for a little bit. 28:34.493 --> 28:37.473 You might be able to show it off to some friends and neighbors, 28:37.633 --> 28:39.853 maybe get a kick out of showing them that nice car, 28:39.953 --> 28:44.193 but you're never going to enjoy the car fulfilling its purpose. 28:44.793 --> 28:47.593 And that is to drive you to where you need to be going. 28:49.393 --> 28:51.133 You see, God is the key to life. 28:51.753 --> 28:54.253 Life without God is like a car with no key. 28:54.253 --> 28:56.573 It has no purpose. 28:57.053 --> 28:58.613 Solomon says it's vanity. 28:59.894 --> 29:07.194 Lou Holtz, who was a college football legend of a coach, he died about four or five weeks ago. 29:07.934 --> 29:12.054 And I want to read to you what Coach Holtz had to say about happiness. 29:12.994 --> 29:16.014 He said, want to be happy for an hour? Eat a steak. 29:16.694 --> 29:19.294 Want to be happy for a day? Play golf. 29:19.694 --> 29:23.074 Want to be happy for a week? Go on a cruise. 29:24.054 --> 29:29.354 Want to be happy for a lifetime? Put your faith in Jesus Christ. 29:30.775 --> 29:33.475 That's the message of Ecclesiastes. 29:34.035 --> 29:35.435 Solomon said, I tried it all. 29:37.755 --> 29:43.935 All of it kept leaving me empty inside until I brought God into my life and everything came alive. 29:45.195 --> 29:55.555 You see, the key to enjoying life is to put all of your faith and your trust in Jesus as your Savior and your Lord. 29:56.455 --> 29:58.855 Let's bow together in an attitude of prayer, if you will. 30:01.015 --> 30:02.875 This is a holy moment in the life of our church. 30:02.975 --> 30:04.835 In just a moment, I'm going to pray. 30:05.515 --> 30:07.715 And after I pray, we're going to stand to our feet. 30:07.815 --> 30:09.115 We're going to sing a song together. 30:11.075 --> 30:15.675 And we're going to have pastors and other leaders and prayer partners here at the front of our worship service. 30:15.715 --> 30:18.875 And we're going to invite you to give your life to Christ. 30:20.355 --> 30:22.515 Perhaps it feels like you've tried it all. 30:25.095 --> 30:26.295 And yet you're still empty. 30:27.897 --> 30:31.897 And you're thinking, there's got to be something more to life than this. 30:32.077 --> 30:35.817 Well, perhaps God's meeting you in this moment. 30:36.977 --> 30:39.997 And he's saying, I am what is more. 30:40.277 --> 30:42.057 I am what has been lacking in your life. 30:42.137 --> 30:46.677 I want to invite you, if you're feeling empty, I want to invite you to be filled today. 30:47.917 --> 30:52.137 Now, at the end of the chapter that we didn't really spend much time on, 30:52.837 --> 30:57.837 Solomon says that God gives joy to the person who's good in his sight. 30:58.593 --> 31:00.133 That's a problem. 31:00.133 --> 31:01.713 You know why? 31:01.713 --> 31:05.533 Because none of us are good in His sight. 31:05.533 --> 31:06.873 We've all sinned. 31:06.873 --> 31:07.712 The Bible says, 31:07.713 --> 31:11.473 for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. 31:11.473 --> 31:12.793 We've blown it. 31:12.793 --> 31:16.153 But here's the good news of the Bible, the gospel. 31:16.153 --> 31:19.833 It's about how God loves us so much 31:20.665 --> 31:24.525 that he sent Jesus to make us good. 31:24.525 --> 31:27.065 You see, Jesus died on the cross for our sins. 31:27.065 --> 31:30.425 He who knew no sin became sin for us. 31:30.425 --> 31:33.545 And if we believe in him, we're gonna be forgiven. 31:33.545 --> 31:34.825 And he's gonna give us life. 31:34.825 --> 31:37.845 He's gonna fill the void, 31:38.925 --> 31:41.765 the hole that's inside of us that sin has created. 31:41.765 --> 31:42.584 The Bible says, 31:42.585 --> 31:45.645 for whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord 31:45.645 --> 31:46.484 shall be saved. 31:46.485 --> 31:48.165 I wanna invite you in just a moment 31:48.560 --> 31:52.080 when we stand and there's leaders up here just to step out and come 31:52.080 --> 31:53.500 as God leads. 31:53.500 --> 31:56.540 You walk down one of these aisles, you walk down one of these staircases and you say, 31:56.540 --> 31:58.340 you know what? 31:58.340 --> 32:02.060 I'd love to see the void and the hole filled in my life. I want to give my life 32:02.060 --> 32:03.060 to Jesus. 32:03.060 --> 32:04.720 And you watch how God 32:04.720 --> 32:08.380 meets you right where you're at. 32:08.380 --> 32:10.920 Now, maybe you're a Christian, 32:10.920 --> 32:13.020 you're already a Christian, 32:13.020 --> 32:17.740 you've already begun your journey with Christ, but somewhere along the way 32:17.872 --> 32:20.192 You stopped enjoying the journey. 32:21.812 --> 32:24.252 You stopped enjoying life. 32:25.832 --> 32:29.572 And that's because you started leaving God out of it. 32:30.892 --> 32:35.072 You started with some of the pursuits that Solomon was on, 32:35.072 --> 32:38.592 these pursuits that have a dead end. 32:39.332 --> 32:41.492 They bring no lasting fulfillment. 32:42.692 --> 32:44.492 You've gotten your eyes off Jesus. 32:47.386 --> 32:51.846 You know, Jesus said in John chapter 15, he said, apart from me, you can do nothing. 32:54.386 --> 32:57.026 And I think that's probably how Jesus said it. 32:57.086 --> 32:58.406 That's how I've always read it. 32:58.486 --> 33:08.426 But this week I had a thought that that line from Jesus in John 15 could also read, apart 33:08.426 --> 33:12.366 from me, you can do nothing. 33:14.306 --> 33:15.986 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 33:15.986 --> 33:18.097 Nothing. 33:18.098 --> 33:19.537 You can do it. 33:19.538 --> 33:20.818 Your life can be vanity. 33:21.698 --> 33:22.798 Your life can be empty. 33:23.078 --> 33:25.338 Your life could be a pursuit of nothing. 33:28.218 --> 33:29.077 And you know what? 33:29.078 --> 33:30.518 That's what it is for most people. 33:34.018 --> 33:41.578 I want to invite you, if you're a Christian, to renew your relationship with God. 33:43.293 --> 33:46.413 to recognize, man, there is no significance in joy. 33:46.573 --> 33:50.873 None of this actually matters unless I'm connected to Jesus. 33:52.533 --> 33:54.153 He's the one who brings life. 33:54.553 --> 34:00.653 He's the one who brings all the fruit of the spirit of love, joy, kindness, gentleness, self-control. 34:00.793 --> 34:02.673 He's the one who brings transformation. 34:02.673 --> 34:09.613 I want to invite you to renew your commitment to following the Lord today. 34:10.973 --> 34:12.032 Let's pray. 34:12.033 --> 34:14.409 Father, 34:14.410 --> 34:21.170 Thank you so much for creating us and making us, Lord. 34:21.290 --> 34:26.310 You saw fit to have us, and so you made us. 34:27.809 --> 34:29.428 And you love us. 34:29.429 --> 34:30.709 Thank you for your love. 34:31.709 --> 34:34.689 Thank you, Lord, that even though we rejected you, 34:35.409 --> 34:38.249 even though so many of us have ignored you, 34:38.889 --> 34:43.849 even though so many of us have gone contrary to the direction you've asked us to go and told us to go, 34:44.329 --> 34:45.609 you still love us. 34:46.669 --> 34:49.449 And that your grace abounds more and more. 34:49.589 --> 34:55.049 And so I'm asking, Lord, that you do a special work in the life of our church family and all who are listening. 34:57.273 --> 35:09.473 Would you help us recognize the amazing joy and fulfillment that is offered to us in the simple things of life? 35:11.913 --> 35:17.593 Eating, drinking, getting up in the morning and going to work. 35:19.193 --> 35:26.433 Lord, that those things can be awesome experiences when we invite you into them. 35:28.053 --> 35:29.713 Lord, would you help us live that kind of way? 35:29.793 --> 35:32.233 And then I also ask, Lord, if there are those listening 35:32.233 --> 35:34.553 who don't have a personal relationship with you, 35:35.253 --> 35:37.473 Lord, that you do a special work in their heart, 35:38.413 --> 35:40.833 that you would show them how amazing you are 35:40.833 --> 35:42.913 and how empty life is without you. 35:44.253 --> 35:46.533 Give them the courage it's going to take to step out 35:46.533 --> 35:48.093 and trust you as their Savior. 35:49.033 --> 35:50.673 Give them the courage to step out and come. 35:50.673 --> 35:52.893 We ask in Jesus' name, amen. 35:53.821 --> 35:54.861 Thanks for listening today. 35:55.221 --> 35:56.701 We hope you enjoyed this message. 35:56.941 --> 36:00.061 And if you did, we would be so grateful if you left us a review. 36:00.721 --> 36:02.821 Also, go ahead and subscribe to the podcast 36:02.821 --> 36:05.701 if you would like to be notified when a new sermon is released. 36:06.301 --> 36:09.421 If you feel the Lord calling you to take the next step in faith 36:09.421 --> 36:13.321 through salvation, service, or giving, don't wait. 36:13.936 --> 36:17.376 reach out to us by texting podcast to 88988. 36:17.376 --> 36:23.296 That's podcast to 88988 or connect with us on one of our social media platforms. 36:23.296 --> 36:26.496 You can also visit our website valleybaptist.org 36:26.496 --> 36:31.296 to find even more great resources. No matter where you are in your journey, 36:31.296 --> 36:34.816 know that we love you, we're praying for you, and we can't wait 36:34.816 --> 36:36.936 to see what God will do in your life.